Can-labeling machine



(No ModeI.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. R. FRAZER. CAN LABELING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. V13 1894.

lh. 8 6 h S M 6 e h, S. 3 R E Z A R nr. ,R C. m. d 0 M 0 m GAN LABE'LIIIG MACHINE. I

N0. 529,257. PatentedNov'- is, 1894.'y

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. R. PRAZBR..

GAAN LABELING MACHINE.

No. 529,257. y Patented Nov. 13, 14894.

El" U////// UNITED STATES PATENT Carien.

CHARLES R. FRAZER, OF SIANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PACIFIC LABELING COMPANY, OF CALIFORNIA.

`{pff}caN-tarantino MACHiNe.

SPECIFICATION forming part rifl Letters Patent No. 529,257, dated November 13, 1894.

Application led pril 27, 1892. Renewed July 31, 1894. Serial No. 519,077. (No model.) Patented in England May 11. 1892, No. 8,976.

Zo all whom, it 11i/wy concern.-

Be it known that l, CHARLns R. FRAZER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cityand county ofSan Francisco,Stateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can -Labeling Machines, (patented in England, May 11, 1 892,No. 8,976,) of. which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in 1o can. labeling machines of that class or description-in which cylindrical cans are caused to take up, wrap and fix the labels to their bodies by rolling down an inclined track or run-way, the various devices and parts of the 15 machine. being'setin motion or operated chieiiy by the rolling motion and the momentum acquired by the cans in their descent.

These-improvements are applicable more especially tothe Newell labeling machine or zo apparatus described in Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, Nos. 470,105 and 470,166, dated March l, 1892, and in the following descrip' tion of the 'present invention the improvements are explained and illustrated with special reference to their application and combination in and with the said Newell machine. l

One of thetnovel points or features in these improvements relates particularly to the au- 3o tomatic stops or releasing devices that control and regulate the4 run of the cans down the incline from tho higher end of -the machine and the same consists in the arrangement and combination of a third, or interme- 3 5 diate,-set of pivoted stops or fingers between the head-stops that hold the can at the head of the inclined run-way and the releasing lingers or stops below that operate the first mentioned stops; also, in the addition of a 4o spring operated check-plate in the path of the rolling can below the first set of stops, to momentarilycheck the momentum of the can as it passes the head-stops and to hold back the following can-until those stops return' to position infront of the following;can'.

The object of this con-struction is to regulate more exactly the headway or intervals between the cans in their r'un lthrough the machine. f 5o The other points or features in the improvements relate mainly to the pasting apparatus that applies paste to the body of the can to prepare it for picking up and fixing the label; also, to the construction of the label-bed and mechanism that presents the labels to the rolling cans; and Finally, to the lap-finishing de; vices. Theseimproved parts and the mechanism by which they are connected and combined for operation are explained at length in the following description in which reference 6o is had by figures and letters to the accompanying drawings that form part of this specification. l

Referring tn the said drawingm-liigu-rel represents in side elevation and generally in longitudinal section a labeling machine constructed according to the Newell patents before mentionedwith these improvements applied to it. Fig. lx is a section on the line '--ot' Fig. l. Fig. 2 is a. plan or top view 7o of the machine. Fig. 3 is aside view in longitudinal sectionand on an enlarged scale of the can-controlling stops or lingers at the'head of the run-way, and Fig. 4is atop View of the same parts. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section 75 also on an enlarged scale of that part of the frame and run-way -whe're the label-bed and the lap-pasting devices are located; the said parts being shown principallyin section. Fig.

6 is a perspective view of the head-plate at 8o the lower cud of the label-bed. Fig. 7 is a View in detail of the tension-roiler that holds down t he lower end of the top-most label. Fig.

8 is afront View of'tne top and upper portion of the adjustable legs or standards that support the ends of the inclined track and regulate the -degree of inclination.

Inall cases the sections inthe principal .figures of the drawings are taken in vertical planes running longitudinally through the 9o center of the machine. y

The parts that pertain more particularly to the present improvements are indicated by letters, while the other and well` known or patented parts of the machine are referred to by numerals.

The side-plates l 1. and the standards A A form 'the frame upon which are mounted the paste-fountain and its rollers near the head of the machine, the labelbed and lap pastor zoo able section up or down.

ing rollers.

at a point lower down, and the finishing rollex` and apron at the lower end. The side-plates are cast with openings for lightness, and on the inner faces projecting ledges 2 2 for the 5 ends of the cans to run on are. cast integral with the sides or are separatev pieces secured to them. The sides are held by tie-rods or.

long belts 3 3, and the space between thecantracks or ledges is closed by bottom boards 4 zo 5 at tbe upper and lower ends ofthe run-way,

but is left open along the middle portion where the can takes paste and picks up the label. This form and arrangement of run-way, canastingdevices,labelandlap-pasterare found t5 in the Newell patented machine already referred to; but heretofore no provision has been made for regulating by adjusting devices at' both ends the pitch of the inclined -run-way to give the cans more or less momenzo tum during their run, and the supports f the run-way have no adjustability in that machine. In the presentv improvements the standards are formed of tubular sections A .Ax (Fig. 8) sliding into each other and held z 5 by set screws-ri, the upper sectiontelescoping into the lower section and having a horizontal cross-bar A at the top to take the side frames, while the rods of the lower section are joined by cross-bars A3 and by a long tie 3o rod Bl extending from one standard to the other.

The side frames rest on the cross-bars A', and the length of the standard is changed by loosening the set screws'and sliding the mov- By this means the bed of the machine can he raised or lowered at either end to change the degree of inclination as the work is'found to require it.

The improvement relating to the can-con- 4e trolling stops comprises the check-plate C set 5e spiral spring C2 is attached to the rear end of the check-plate and to the bracket C3 below to draw down that end and hold up the This ele' vated end of the plate is set in the ruti-way just infront of the stops D D in such position that the can held at the stops and resting front end/in the path of the can.,

on the end of the check-plate will hold up by its weight the rear end ofthe plate against the tension of the spring. Both sets of stops Co 6 and D are connected with the releasing stops'7 by rods 9 and 10, to throw iualter-v nate 'manner actpss the runy of the cans; that is, the intermediate stops throw across the. path of the can just as the head stops draw v back, and afterward as the can is released-f by the intermediate stops the following can is caught bythe head-stops just as the checkplate is dr wn down by its spring, C?. The stops and t is check-plate are adj usted to act and be acted on by the cans as follows.

At the beginning of the operation the foremost can of the number fed into the machine tion the fingers 7 7 also lie across the track below; but the stops D D set back clear 0f the run-way. Now drawing back' the lingers 7 7with his hands the attendant sets the machine in operation by releasing the can from the head-stops and allowing it to run down against the intermediate stops. In that `manner the reledsers are thrown across the runway and `the can rests upon the front end of the check-plate and holds up the rear end to catch the next can; but the return of the head-stops across the track cannot take place however untilthe releasers return to position and the intermediate stops are drawn back. As soon as the attendant allows the releasers to spring across the track, however the foremost can at the stops D is set free and begins its run down the machine., At thesame time the head stops are thrown across the track and catch the next can released by the check-plate. -This takes place as soon asv the can set'free at the intermediate stops rolls 0E the end of the plate. By the acquired moraising the pasting roller 12 receives a coat- -ing of paste in a narrow strip along'the body. In that movement the can presses back the releasers and sets free the can uextahove to act in the same manueri-n its turn. The distance between the upper stops and the, releasers below determines the amount of headway or interval between the rolling cans, or

this headway when desired. :4

The mechanism shown in Fig.1.at the head of the machine isan automatic attachment for feedingdo-wn a considerable number of cans from a long line or row from a trough 14 over the end ofthe Vrun-way. It is no part of the present invention however, and does not require to be specially described in order to or make the same clearly understood. It is, besides covered by an application for Letters Patent tiled by Parker Crittenden, of San Francisco, California, on `the 30th"'day0f October k1891, Serial No. 410,313, which lhas already beeu allowed. v t f f;

The-improvement relating to the can-pasting device cousi'sts'iof :the arm E extend-ing backward from the-point 'or'center 415; on which the roller-carrying frame'lt'rlhscillates and a slidingweight'F on the armZ having a set screw fx to il; it at;an'y-pintalong'the arm. An adjustable atop screw f on the arm from`the bottom of the run-way when atvrest' and a spiral spring I7 is attached to one of the-roIler-carrying arms and to a fixed point below to bring the rollerA down quickly cach time after it is lifted by therolling can. The

rests against the head-stops and in that posimentum the foremost can rolls under and' the standards can be adjusted to regulatel explain the operation of these improvementsregulates the height of the pasting roller 12 las spring and the adjustable weight act together to regulate the touch of the pasting-roller on the can andproduce a light but at the same time a perfect contact of the paste-covered surface of the roller with the body of the can. In adjusting these parts to the work, it is important to secure this contact with the least degree of pressure of theroller upon the can, and in'constructing this part of the labeling apparatus it has been found necessary to rerduce the weight of the pasting-roller itself as much as possible in order that theadditional weight imposed by the layer of paste on its surface and the roller that supplies paste from the trough above may not arrest or materially check'-`the rolling can, the-counter-weight on 4the arm E the pasting roller can bebalanced toits work with considerable delicacy of touch .and this adjustment can be readily made from time to time as any variation in the size of the cans being operated on may be found to require.

'The pasting roller is isupplied from the trough 13 loosely tact with the pasting,r roller. The can passing under the pasting roller and lifting,r it perpendicularly brings the supply roller up against the o`utlet valve 19 in the bottom of the paste trpugh and at each movement the roller thustakes through the'opened valve a small quantity of paste.` which it distributes lby the smalll roller 18 mounted. in

` on th'e surface of the pasting. roller. This is the construction of device employed in chine. v

lily-.presentimprovements in the labcl-bed paste trough and feeding th-e Newell labeling maand adjacent parts have for their object to secure an even play or movement of the labelbed in thesnrrounding box, and produce such tension and pulling action between the rolling can and the label that all wrinkles and loose portions in the wrapped label shall be effectually prevented and the label shall be laid smoothly and evenly, A

The'label-bed Gis mounted outwo rods G. G* working through tubularguides G2 G2 containing spiral spring GS bearing under fixed collars G4 on the rods and .against the closed bottoms of the tubes. The upper ends of the tubes are fixed in the bottom-boardhand the rods extending through the'tubes are joinedA -at the lower ends by the cross`-bar G". The

collars on the rods have a close sliding lit in the tubes,and the rods slide inthe same manner through holes in the bottoms of the tubes. By this construction the label-bed is kept true and even in its movements between the upright sides and ends of the surrounding box and always perpendicular with the run of the can. The side-iframes and 'the end-plates K K form the label-box but setclcar of the edges of the bed chiefly to avoidfriction between the bed and its surrounding box and prevent uneven movement as the bed is pressed upward by the'springs. The edges ofthe pile of labels are therefore out of con- .By shifting" swinging arms 20 and resting in contact with 'the sideslof the label-box excepting at the lower end where the inclined position of the bed necessarily brings the lower ends of the'labels against the end-plate K; but the excessive friction which would arise from such contact. is greatly reduced and practically overcome by forming perpendicular ribs or projections kion the. face of the plate K-as illustrated in Fig. 6. The ends of the labels touch these two points only instead of the whole face ol the plate, the friction is reduced below that amount or degree which would depress the pile of labels at that end during the upward feeding' paste trough 24. Intermittent movement is given to the belt by the flanged wheel 25 in l necting the shaft 26 of the wheel with a compound lever com posed of thc parts M', Mx N N X.

The ratchet wheel 27 is fixed on the shaft ofthe wheel 2,5 outside the'trough, and thev pawi is attached to an arm 28 centered on the shaft and connected by the rod m2 to the lowermember of the compound. lever. The

'upper member of this compound lever is formed of the two arms M, M, pivoted at pp on the side frames and connected together at vthe opposite ends by the cross-bar Mx. The

lower member is formed of the arms N N vibrating in the contrary direction on the pivots 112132 and connectedat the free ends by the cross-bar N". Links N' connect the two sets of levers together, and the rod m2 from the pawl-carrying arm is attached to the crossbar N". The levers M when at rest are inclined upwardly from their pivots p inthe path of the cans and move closely against the sides frame, so that in running along the tracks 2; thecan depresses the series of levers and turns the-wheel in the trough astep forward each time a canpasses. This constrnction of levers enables the travel or feet of the and consequently he side frames beneath l the trough and a. p awl and ratchet-27, 28 conl IOO belt to be produced' by 'a'.longer lever than '3l'to regulate the tension of the springs according to the weight of the cans that are being run throughthe machine. To bring the top of the presser-plate on a-level with the tracks 2 the surface'of the labe1-bed is depressed from about the point gx where the labeling holding fingers 32 arc situated down to the lower end where the label setsnnder the lap-pastor, and the tracks 2 are elevated in-about the same proportion above the levt'i ofthe tracks at the higher end where the om@ first strike the label; and where the elevated surface of the label-bed and the track are about on the same level. The object of this construction, is chiefly to produce a condition or degree of tension or pullingforcebetween the rolling can -and the stationary label suffi-v cient to prevent wrinkles and blisters or loose port-ions in the label and to layit smoothly around the body of the can and to slightly retard the movement or progression of the can just at this time.

` In Fig. 1 the label-bed is shown with a pile of labels in position, and in Fig. 5 the bed is shown without labels. l

The ngers 32 thathold down the label o n a level with the tracks 2.are attached to pivoted levers 33 and are held over thebed by springs 34. When the can reaches this point in its run it has acquired suiiicient momentum to throw back the fingers and pick up the' endv of the label; but, after the can passes them, they spring'forward into place over the top label before the bed rises. It should be mentioned that because of the peculiar construction of -the.label-bed and "he can-tracks the can does not roll upon the" label for the whole length but only at the beginning of its contact where the end of' the label is attached tothe can, auditor the remaining distance the can is raised perpendicularly by the ele- `vation in the track while the'bed is dropped or depressed in the opposite direction. The amount of this change in the relation of the rolling-can and the stationary label to each other is' suiiicient to produce the desired tension.` The rise in the tracks retard the forward movement of the can justcat about the time that the depression in the bed becomes. effective, and hence the can will not roll over the label without taking it up. As the can rises and continues to roll along the higher portion of the track, it rotates ina circle above the 'depressed portion of the bed, and hencev the label is notonly taken upby the can 4b'ut it is applied thereto with some considerable tension since the roller I'I'(to be presently de= scribed) will not permit its lower end to slide upwardly on the bed. The top-most labelis pressed up against the tension roller H over vthe lower end of the label'with sufficient de greeof forceto hold the endof the label until the can comes directly over .the roller, at

which point the can then draws away-the pasted end from undertherOIler before strikingthe presser-plate of .the lap-paster. .To release the lahel at'thismomentwith the least lamount. o f resistance I provide aroller constrncted substantially 'aslrepresented in Fig. 7l of an axle "hxrad a-sieeve h upon the axle fitted tovyturn loosely on vit and confined by collars at the' ends. Bearings Mare set; inl openings h in the sideframes te receive the journaled portions of therolle'rand collars h on the outer ends prevent the rollerl from mov.

" pasting roller.

Patent, is .Y

inglongitudinally. This construction of roller vallows the end of the label to draw out easily from under itwhen the can comes perpendicularly over it. I

The improvement in the lap-finishing part ,of the apparatusconsists of a flexible apron .R made of some heavy woven fabric such as bottom. -These parts -sit over the run-way beyond the'label-bed in such position that the pasted lap after it is d'rawn out from under the tension roller H cornes in contact with the roller T and is pressed down by tha'tvroller against the body of the can and then passing under the apron the revolutions of the can -brng the lapped edges ot the label several times with a rubbing contact against the under surface of the apron. This action is si inilar .t' 0 the rubbing operation of the hand and it has the en'ect to finish the lap closely and smoothly. In Fig. 2 I have shown a slight modification of this feature-:that is to say, in

can run-way 4 where it rests loosely upon that place of'the apron R'I sometimes provide a roller r jo'urnaled vin arms fr which are pivoted to the 'standards 35, and the face of the roller is preferably covered with some heavy woven fabric such as carpet or canvas faced with felt orvplusrh. v A

.A rollerWis mounted in swinging arms W between standards W over the highereudVl ofthe label-bed to bear upon the can at that pointwherefthe can takes thevend of the label, the'pressure of the rollerV being applied directlyupon the rolling can at the timewiien the paste-coated portion of its body is brought over against the label.A The degree of, pressure is regulated by means of a sliding counter weight Winn an arm W arranged in the same manner as the sliding weight Ton the' The several parts and ltnechanismas thus combined and arranged'for operation enable the cans tovbe.run rapid'lythronghv the machine and at the same ti'ineproduce excellent.

quality of work.

Having thus muy described tnyipventio'n,

whatI claimrand desire tosecure by Letters 1. In. a dan-labeling. machine, the combina tion Iwith an'inclined run-way for thev cans of the head' stops 6 6, ther'eleaslng linger? 7 and the intermediate 'stops D, 1),' the rods 9 10 connecting the said stops y.with thereleasing liingers, andthe spring che'ckplate C in the' bottom of the run-way having 'an upwardly bent portion, substantially as described for operationas set fort h. f. A

-2; In a can-labeling machine` the combina, tion with an inclined run-way for the cans ot the. can controlling stops, the pasteftrough, paste-supplyrollerl, pasting roller.12,'the

tzlo

. rods above the springs and sliding closely roller frame 1G,inwhich said roller is mounted,

the` arm E, adj nstable counter-weight F, stopscrew f2, and spring 17 applied for operation as set forth.

3. In a can-labeling machine, the combination with an inclined 'run-way,'and acanpasting apparatus; of the label bed G moving,r within and slightly smaller than the label box, rods GX, lon rigid tubular guides Gr2 having reduced perforatons in their lower ends through which said rods-pass, springs Grs within-the guides, collars G4 secured to the within said guides, and the cross-bar Giconnecting the rods entirely below the tubular guides, substantially as described.

4. In a.' can-labeling machine, the combination with an inclined run-way forthe cans,

a label-box or receptacle and a label-bed mounted on springs-therein to present the labels fiat-wise in a pile to the' rolling cans; of the lap-pasting,` belt 21, rollers 22 22, paste troughA 24, pulley 25, pawl and ratchet mechanism, and the4 compound levers comprising the cross-bars, substantially as specified.

havingran inclined run-way for the cans, the combination, of the side-plates 1 1 having tracks for the cans and Asupporting the canasting andlabeling devices, and the adjustable standards formed of telescopic uprights A A", the cross-barsA' A3, brace B and .set

.eration as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto aixed my hand and seal.

-CHARLES R. FRAZER. [1... s] Witnesses: C. W. M. SMITH,

. CHAS. E. KELLY.

5. In a can-labeling machine 'of the kind gether between their pivoted ends and their` screwsA2 substantially as described for op 

